Thames Valley Police is sending out a stark warning to young men and women in Milton Keynes after a number of people were targeted by criminal gangs to carry drugs packages into the country for money, resulting in a number of high-profile drug trafficking convictions.

Criminal groups are targeting vulnerable young men and women in Milton Keynes to act as couriers in an attempt to smuggle large quantities of Class A drugs such as heroin in cocaine into the country from abroad.

Det Insp Neil Dodds, who heads up Operation Falcon in Milton Keynes, said: “These criminal organisations prey on vulnerable victims in the community to try and recruit them to act as couriers. Normally the victims are young males who are unemployed, or females who are unemployed or single parents. The offer of money, which can be as little as £300, including a free flight, hotel and spending money seems very attractive and is sold as a “free holiday” to bring a package back on their return. The drugs are brought into the country either secreted within hidden compartments of suitcases or more commonly ingested within the stomach in small cocktail sausage size packages.

“Getting involved in trafficking drugs has severe consequences. Not only do you face a long stretch in prison, you are also risking your life. During our investigation, a man from Romford, with links to the Milton Keynes network, was found dead in his car following a massive overdose when the packages of cocaine in his stomach burst. For a few hundred pounds people are literally destroying their lives and causing untold pain to their families and friends.”

In June this year, Gilbert Frost, aged 44, from Bletchley, was arrested at Heathrow after ingesting a quarter of a kilo of cocaine concealed in sausage packets in his stomach. He was convicted on 30 July for drug trafficking and was sent to prison for three and half years.

Massoud Shaksy, aged 38, from Fishermead, was also charged with drug trafficking in connection with this incident and is currently on remand awaiting trial in February 2011. He will stand trial with Fann Adan, aged 36, from Monkston and Cabdulrahman Hasim, aged 38, from Oldbrook, both charged with conspiracy to import Class A drugs and individually with other drugs offences.

Incidents of trafficking often involve the couriers working in pairs or alone and visiting countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Turkey or African countries. During a four-month period between June and September 2008, Thames Valley Police identified six young men, aged between 20 and 30 years old, who had been recruited by criminal organisations in Milton Keyes as couriers.

These included Brenton Tobin, aged 26, from Two Mile Ash, and Mathew Flint, aged 24, from Bletchley, being intercepted at Luton Airport, trying to smuggle 3.5 kilos of heroin into the country from Turkey. Both were charged with drug trafficking and were subsequently sentenced on 5 March 2009 to eight years in prison.

During this period, two other young men from Milton Keynes were caught trying to leave the host country with large amounts of cocaine. Tony Yearsley, aged 22, from Wolverton, was caught in Brazil, on 21 September 2008, trying to traffic three kilos of cocaine back to the UK. He spent 18 months in a Brazilian prison before being transported back to the UK to serve the rest of his eight-year sentence.

On 29 August 2008, Achukwa Chigozie, aged 27, from Bletchley, was arrested in Argentina on suspicion of trafficking four kilos of cocaine out of the country. He is currently being held on remand in a prison in Argentina.

Said : ”Since 2008, Thames Valley Police has been running an operation investigating incidents of importation of class A drugs, heroin and cocaine, and other incidents that have been identified. It is clear that once into the UK the drugs are destined for Milton Keynes or then distributed to other areas and major cities in the U.K.

“The operation has been very successful and very recently, part of the criminal organisation was disrupted after a six-month investigation and a joint operation between Thames Valley Police and the United Kingdom Borders Agency (UKBA) which resulted in the arrests at Heathrow airport and the successful conviction of Gilbert Frost.

“Thames Valley Police has been very proactive in investigating the groups behind the importations and over a number of months a number of search warrants have been executed in Milton Keynes on addresses suspected to be linked to the importation groups. This has resulted in a number of arrests, and the seizure of drugs, vehicles, cash and firearms.

“Our message to anyone in Milton Keynes who is offered money to carry any kind of parcel into, or out of the UK, is to say no and contact the police. Anyone caught drug trafficking will face a substantial custodial sentence and if they are caught in a foreign country it could be years before they even return to the UK and see their families again. Whatever money they are offered is never enough to risk throwing their entire lives and future away for.”